"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." ~Toni Morrison
Showing posts with label Top Ten Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top Ten Tuesday. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

My Favorite Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week, the topic is movie-related, so I decided to share my top ten favorite movies.  Every movie on this list is one that I own or have seen multiple times.  Enjoy!


The Princess Bride
I love this movie!!  Sword fights, giants, pirates, the pit of dispair, it is full of awesome!  I can watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it.  I even read the book.  And this movie made me fall in love with Carey Elwes.  Anybody want a peanut?

The Craft
Wow!  Another favorite.  Fairuza Balk is awesome in this movie.  A story of young girls dabbling with powers they don't understand.  What is not to love?

Practical Magic
Now the girls are grown up and they understand the powers they are dabbling with; the story just got better.  Such a great movie.  I especially love the ending, where a group of women come together to help each other, despite their beliefs.  Amazing.

Star Wars Trilogy
The original Star Wars movies are a part of my childhood that I will never forget.  I watch these movies every chance I get.

Grandma's Boy
This movie make me laugh so much.  "I can hear my hair growing."  "Did I imagine a party?"  LOL.

Beyond the Universe
Oh man, I love a movie that I can sing along to, and when all the songs are Beatles songs, well, that is extra magical.  Love this movie.

Moulin Rouge
Another one that I can sing along to.  Sad, but a great story.

The Guardians of the Galaxy
When I saw previews for this movie, I had my doubts.  I mean, a talking racoon, a talking tree?  This was going to be silly.  But when I saw the movie, I loved it.  Now I can't wait for the sequel.

Stargate
I loved this movie and I loved all the tv spin-offs.  Daniel Jackson and Tealc are my favorites.  Indeed.

Mean Girls
On Wednesdays, we wear pink.  I don't know what I love about this movie, but I do love it.

Have you seen any of these movies?
Have any recommendations? 

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Books I've Added to my TBR List Recently

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.


Amazon Prime recently started a new program where Prime members can get one new release book free each month.  Taking advantage of this new program has added some interesting books to my TBR list.

Pierced by the Sun by Laura Esquivel
"Lupita’s hard-knock life has gotten the better of her time and time again. A childhood robbed of innocence set off a chain of events that she still has not managed to control, no matter how hard she tries. Every time she thinks she has a handle on things, unexpected turns make her question everything, including herself.

When Lupita witnesses the murder of a local politician whom she greatly admires, the ghosts of her past resurface as she tries to cope with the present. She quickly falls back into her old self-destructive habits and becomes a target of Mexico’s corrupt political machine. As the powers that be kick into high gear to ensure the truth remains hidden, Lupita finds solace in the purity of indigenous traditions. While she learns how to live simply, like her ancestors, she comes to understand herself and rediscovers light within a dark life. And if there is hope for Lupita’s redemption, perhaps there is hope for Mexico."
(Amazon.com)

Midair by Kodi Scheer
"For four young women abroad in Paris, a game of Truth or Dare turns life-and-death.

“I had a secret: I wanted to leave the earth in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, by leaping from the Eiffel Tower.” So begins this provocative coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl bent on self-destruction and revenge, set in the City of Light.
It’s the summer of 1999, the end of a millennium. In the mind of Nessa Baxter, a girl from rural Illinois, Paris is the remedy for all of her woes. The death of her beloved brother and the betrayal by her classmate Kat has left Nessa bereft and doubtful about her future. She plans to exact revenge on Kat during their renegade French Club trip. Along with classmates Whitney and Kiran, the four girls embark on a series of misadventures in Paris. As part of her plan, Nessa starts a game of Truth or Dare that spirals out of control.
A suspenseful psychological drama, Midair is the story of a young girl’s descent into darkness and the secrets we keep, even from ourselves." (Amazon.com)

Interference by Amelie Antoine
"They were the perfect couple—but not all is as it seems.

Young married couple Gabriel and Chloé have a picture-perfect life. But when athletic Chloé suddenly drowns, Gabriel is left to grapple with the mysterious circumstances of her death. Brokenhearted, he pours out his grief in a bereavement group and is consoled by photographer Emma. While the two grow closer, Gabriel can’t help but feel Chloé’s presence everywhere he goes. And as revelations about Chloé slowly emerge, he begins to wonder, is Emma really that different?
From prize-winning and bestselling author Amélie Antoine comes a dark and evocative novel that will keep readers guessing until the final moments—will Gabriel be able to move on with Emma, or will the mystery of Chloé’s death consume him?" (Amazon.com)

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
"Since she was a baby, Aza Ray Boyle has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found by another. Magonia.
Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?"  (Amazon.com)

Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone
"Evelyn Tester is sleepwalking through her suburban life—until a late-night phone call startles her awake. Her husband, a prestigious psychiatrist, has been in an accident. And he isn’t alone.

Suddenly Evelyn’s world isn’t as tidy as she thought. And in the midst of it all is Juliette, not only her husband’s secret lover but also his patient. If news of the affair were to get out, it would ruin more than just Evelyn’s marriage. Although it’s a bitter pill for Evelyn to swallow, protecting her family means staying silent—even if, as she begins to discover, the night of the accident has consequences far more dangerous than the unmasking of an affair.
But the more Evelyn learns about Juliette’s picture-perfect life—complete with a handsome, unsuspecting husband—the more she yearns for revenge…and satisfaction. Her growing obsession fuels her rage, burning away her complacency. What will be left of her after it flames out?"  (Amazon.com)

Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown
"In the near future, political tensions between the United States and China are at an all-time high. Then a catastrophic explosion on the moon cleaves a vast gash in the lunar surface, and the massive electromagnetic pulse it unleashes obliterates Earth’s electrical infrastructure. To plumb the depths of the newly created lunar fissure and excavate the source of the power surge, the feuding nations are forced to cooperate on a high-risk mission to return mankind to the moon.

Now, a diverse, highly skilled ensemble of astronauts—and a pair of maverick archaeologists plucked from the Peruvian jungle—will brave conspiracy on Earth and disaster in space to make a shocking discovery.
Ocean of Storms is an epic adventure that spans space and time as its heroes race to fulfill an ancient mission that may change the course of humanity’s future." (Amazon.com)

I have a lot of reading to do!
What's on your TBR list?

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Books I Read Because of a Recommendation

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

I love getting book recommendations.  It's one of my favorite ways to find new books to read.  One person I get a lot of book recommendations from is my sister.  She is a Language Arts teacher and has always loved to read.  She devours books when she has the time.  We don't talk enough, but when we do, the first question I always ask her is if she has read any good books recently.  Here are some of the books she has recommended over the years.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Amazon:  ""My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."
So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on eath continue without her - her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling."

I really enjoyed this book.  I worried that it would be too sappy (I'm not a huge fan of sappy stories), and was surprised that I enjoyed it so much.

Room by Emma Donoghue
Amazon:  "To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. 
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer"

This book did not impress me as much.  I think I knew too much about the story before I started reading, so it was not as shocking as it could have been.  Maybe..

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amazon:  "On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? "

I loved this book!  It surprised me over and over again.  Highly recommended.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Amazon:"Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate—a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister—and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves"

Wow!  This was a powerful read!  It has led me to many more great Jodi Picoult books.  Highly recommended.


I also love getting book recommendations from my students.  I write them on Post-its and in my bullet journal, on scraps of paper and in a list app on my phone.  Whatever I have handy.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Amazon:  "In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. 
   But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape."

I really enjoyed this book.  Great story, great concept.  Highly recommended, especially if you love the 80s or video games.



Sometimes there are books that blow up.  Everyone is reading them and recommending them.  I am usually really late to the party on these books.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Amazon:  "At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State--and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, "Wild" powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her."

What a powerful book!  This is such a beautiful story of the kindness of strangers.  I am so glad I finally jumped on board and read this one.  Highly recommended.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Amazon:  "It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. "

This one didn't really do it for me.  It did not live up to the hype; not that it was a bad book, it just wasn't as amazing as I expected.



This last one was recommended by a good friend.  I haven't actually read it yet, but it's on my fall TBR list.A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Amazon:  "Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul--they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival."


I love getting book recommendations and I am always looking for more.  
Do you have any good books to recommend?

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

My Fall TBR List


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

First I am planning to finish my current read, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, but after I complete that, I will start reading from my Fall TBR list....
A photo posted by Lisa (@lalocadesigns) on

The Girl with all the Gifts by Mike Carey
Recommended by a friend
One of the high school Battle of the Books choices

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley
Got a great deal on the Kindle version
I think the story sounds interesting

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Recommended by a friend
I have borrowed her signed copy

Teacher books
I have 4 teacher books I need to read
I like reading teacher books :)

What are you reading this fall?

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Top Ten Guilty Pleasure TV Shows


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.




The theme at The Broke and the Bookish this week is something related to television, so I decided to share my top ten guilty pleasure tv shows.  These are the shows that I watch all by myself when I have some free time.

1.  Pretty Little Liars
I am not sure why I started watching this show.  I think Netflix reccomended it to me.  I immediately knew that my husband was not going to want to watch this show, so I started watching on my Ipad while ironing.  Now I am hooked.  Who is A?  And what does he/she want?  I love all the teenage drama.

2.  Project Runway (the original and All Stars and Under the Gunn and Junior)
One of my greatest weaknesses is a show where people make things.  I love making things and I love watching other people make things too.  More drama.  Yay!

3.  Project Accessory
Why was there only one season of this show?  I want it back!

4.  Face Off
Another one of those creative shows.  I know absolutely nothing about creating special effects make-up but I learn a little bit more every season of Face Off.

5.  Ink Master
This one is also a creative show but this one has a lot more swearing and yelling.  So much drama!

6.  Bar Rescue
Oh!  The drama!  This guy yells at people who are failing at running a bar and tries to help them turn their business around.  

7.  The Following
I started watching this one with my husband but he got tired of it, so I continued watching by myself.  How can these people be so obssessed with each other?  If they hate each other so much, why isn't one of them dead yet?

8.  Flea Market Flip
Another creative show!  It's so much fun to watch them buy junk and then refurbish it but my favorite part is guessing who will make the most money.

9.  Judge Judy
Judge Judy has taught me so much over the years: always keep your dog on a leash, don't lend money to friends or family, take pictures at the beginning and end of a lease..... the list goes on and on.  Thank you, Judge Judy!

10.  CSI franchise
I am currently making my way through CSI New York but I am also a big fan of the original CSI and the Miami version.  

What are your favorite guilty pleasure tv shows?

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Ten Facts About Me


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.



The theme at The Broke and the Bookish this week is to share 10 facts about me, so here we go!

1.  I am originally from Ireland but now live in the United States
I moved to Wisconsin when I was 13 years old because my dad was offered a better job.  I attended high school and college there before taking off on a road trip that took me across the country to Oregon.  I've lived in Oregon since 2001 and love it here!

2.  I used to speak Irish conversationally
In Ireland, most people speak English natively, but we all learn Irish in school.  When I left Ireland I was conversational in Irish.  Now, because of lack of practice, I know very little of the language.  I am trying to relearn, but it is much more complicated than I remember.  If you know of a good resource, I would love to hear about it!

3.  I have an 18 year old cat
A photo posted by Lisa (@lalocadesigns) on
She is diabetic, going blind, half deaf and occasionally has seizures.  She's a challenge but she still enjoys life.  

 4.  I am a Spanish teacher
I love my job.  I love teaching.  I love the Spanish language and culture.  I love having summers off.  I love it all.

5.  I have more story ideas than I know what to do with
I am constantly thinking of new story ideas and I keep starting new novels before I finish the last ones.  Oops.

6.  Did I mention I have a problem finishing things?
I love starting projects but I often have a problem finishing them.  I have completed the first draft of one novel, but the one I started before that is still unfinished, and I have started at least two more in the mean time...I am bad at finishing things.

7.  I love tv
I will watch almost anything; I do have my limits, but tv is one of my favorite things.  I prefer it to music when I need background noise.  This is why I do not have a tv in my bedroom.

8.  I have an artificial hip
I had the surgery at age 23 because of some hip problems I have had since childhood.  It has changed my life for the better.  If your doctor recommends joint replacement, go for it.  It's amazing!

9.  I have been married for 6 six years
My husband and I met and started dating in 1996, 20 years ago.  Neither of us really thought marriage was important.  We got engaged in 2007 and decided to finally get married in 2010 after I had emergency surgery, and he could not get in to visit me because he was not family.  

10.  I love karaoke
Oh man!  I love to sing.  I sing by myself.  I sing with family.  I sing in front of strangers.  It's the best!

Anyway, that's a little bit more about me.  Hope you enjoyed learning more about my story.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR List


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.



The theme at The Broke and the Bookish this week is a freebie, so I decided to talk about the books I will be reading for the Book Challenge by Erin.

The Book Challenge by Erin is a Facebook group with a unique reading challenge.  The challenge starts on July 1st and ends October 31st.  Different categories are awarded different point values.  Here are my choices for each category (The blurbs come from Amazon.com):

• 5 points: Freebie: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
"Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey."

• 10 points: Book that starts with the letter “R”.  Room by Emma Donoghue
"
To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. 
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer."

• 10 points: Book with five words in the title.  Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
"
Teenage Lynn has been taught to defend her pond against every threat: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and most important, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty—or doesn't leave at all. Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. But when strangers appear, the mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won't stop until they get it. . . ."

• 15 points: Book that has a (mostly) blue cover.  Armada by Ernest Cline
"
Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure. 
But hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don’t get chosen to save the universe. 
And then he sees the flying saucer. 
Even stranger, the alien ship he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.  
No, Zack hasn’t lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it. 
It’s Zack’s chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can’t help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little…familiar? "

• 20 points: Book with twins as characters.  The Sorceress by Michael Scott
"
Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.
   But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.
   If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane."

• 20 points: Book made into a movie.  Wild by Cheryl Strayed
"At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her."

• 25 points: Book set in a country you have always wanted to visit.  The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
"Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julián Carax. But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love."

• 30 points: Historical fiction book. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
"
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. "
• 30 points: Music related book. The Haters by Jesse Andrews
"
For Wes and his best friend, Corey, jazz camp turns out to be lame. It’s pretty much all dudes talking in Jazz Voice. But then they jam with Ash, a charismatic girl with an unusual sound, and the three just click. It’s three and a half hours of pure musical magic, and Ash makes a decision: They need to hit the road. Because the road, not summer camp, is where bands get good. Before Wes and Corey know it, they’re in Ash’s SUV heading south, and The Haters Summer of Hate Tour has begun."

• 35 points: Book originally published over 100 years ago. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
" Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, situated on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before; of the intense relationship between the gypsy foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw; and how Catherine, forced to choose between passionate, tortured Heathcliff and gentle, well-bred Edgar Linton, surrendered to the expectations of her class. As Heathcliff's bitterness and vengeance at his betrayal is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past."

What is on your summer TBR list?  
Have you read any of these books?  What did you think?

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Ten Reasons I Love my Kindle


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.


The theme at The Broke and the Bookish this week is the Top Ten Reasons I love X.  I thought of all things reading that I love and quickly realized that one on the things I love most is my Kindle!  So without further ado, here are ten reasons that I love my Kindle.

I like reading all types of books, and the amazing thing about reading them on my Kindle is (1)my book always fits in my purse.  I could be reading a hardcover copy of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, it will still fit in my purse.  In fact, (2)when I am carrying my Kindle, I have a whole library in my purse.  Can you believe that?  It still amazes me, every day.

While I am reading, the Kindle has many advantages.  I really love that (3)I can get instant definitions if I don't understand, or want more information about, a word.  I am fascinated by words.  I also love (4)highlighting my favorite quotes and phrases in a book.  My Kindle allows me to do this without damaging the book in any way.  Also, I can (5)bookmark a page without ever damaging the book or having to remember where the heck I put my bookmark.  I am forever losing bookmarks!

Another thing I love about my Kindle is the great deals I can get on books.  First, (6)I love my e-library!!  I can choose from a wide selection of books.  I can have multiple books on hold and checked out at the same time.  And the best part of all, they automatically take the books back at the end of the lending period, so (7)no more late fees!  Add to that (8)the deals I get through Amazon Prime.  I get to borrow one book each month and with Kindle First, I now get to purchase a free book each month before it is released.  

When I am out in public, the Kindle allows me some anonymity because (9)nobody knows what I am reading!  So I can read something embarrassing without anyone knowing ;)

Of course the last reason I love my Kindle has nothing to do with reading.  I really do love (10)the apps I can get on my Kindle.  They keep me occupied between reads.

By the way, I am not affiliated with Amazon.  I just really love my Kindle :)


What do you really love about reading?
Do you have a Kindle or other e-reader?  Do you love it?

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Authors who are my Go-To Beach Reads


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

When I am relaxing on the beach or by the pool, I like books that are easy to read and hard to put down.  That usually means horror, thrillers, and mysteries.  Here are some authors that fit the bill for me.

Stephen King
I love Stephen King's books.  The language is easy to read, and the story and characters pull me in.  Perfect for reading on the beach.

Joe Hill
Stephen King's son, Joe Hill, is another author I will read on the beach.  The apple did not fall far from the tree.  And he has a new book out, The Fireman

James Patterson
Another easy to read, hard to put down author.

Melissa de la Cruz
The Blue Bloods series is definitely on my list of summer reading.

Dean Koontz
The Odd Thomas series has caught me.  Another one on my summer reading list.

Michael Scott
His Immortal Nicholas Flamel series is on my reading list.  

What type of book do you like to read at the beach?

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Top Ten Books I Recently Added to my TBR List



    Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

    I keep a TBR list on Pinterest and I am constantly adding books to it.  Here are the last 10 books and links that I added to the list.

    1.  Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell - I love reading books about writing and aftger recently reading a blog post about this book, I had to add it to my TBR.  I am excited to read this book.

    2.  Inked by Eric Smith - Tattoos that decide your destiny?  I am already hooked.

    3.  Zia the Teenage Zombie and the Undead Diaries by Angela Scott - Who can resist a zombie dealing with all the drama of being a teenager?

    4.  The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - This book sounds like a fairy tale.  I just want to curl up for a weekend and read it.

    5.  Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - I read Fangirl and loved it.  I can't wait to read another book by Rainbow Rowell and I have heard that this is a great one.

    6.  The Unquiet by Mikaela Everett - A parallel Earth, people training to replace their duplicates?  You had me at sleeper-soldiers.

    7.  12 Books for Fans of Gillian Flynn - Yeah, I want to read them all.  Oh, and also Sharp Objects; I haven't read that one yet.

    8.  11 Books with Crazy Plot Twists - I have read 3 of the books on this list already, but I would like to read the others and I'd like to reread And Then There Were None.  I love Agatha Christie!

    9.  11 Books that Scared Stephen King - Some of these books don't sound particularly scary, but they do sound interesting.

    10.  Lifer by Beck Nicholas - Slavery, space, rebellion.  I'm ready!